Giggs made his debut in the 1990-91 season and has been in the first team ever since giving Utd twenty years of memories and service, something I believe no other player will ever achieve again when you take in to account the way football is these days and how often players move clubs.
There are two goals that spring to mind when I think of Giggs. The first was early in his career as a raw and unpredictable eighteen year old against Spurs at White hart lane. At lightening speed Giggs put the ball around Dean Austin, then nutmeged Jason Cundy, rounder goalkeeper Ian Walker and placed the ball into the net. Comparrisons with the late George Best were quick to follow in the tabloids and it was clear to see why.
The second goal that springs to mind was scored in what I consider to be the greatest game of football I have ever seen, purely for the sheer drama and incidents involved, it was the 1999 F.A Cup semi final against Arsenal at Villa Park. In a game that was poised evenly at 1-1, a disallowed Anelka goal, a Roy Keane sending off, and a last minute penalty save by Peter Schmichael from a Dennis Bergkamp spot kick, Giggs received a misplaced pass from Patrick Vieria on the half way line in extra time. The majority of players at that stage of a gladiator like battle would have been happy to keep possession and play for the lottery that is a penalty shoot out …… not Giggs!
His natural instinct was to run at pace directly at the Arsenal defence causing panic amongst there players, after weaving left and right Giggs managed to progress in to the penalty area with still a lot of work to do, his finish was as good as you will ever see and the only place he could have but the ball, high into the roof of the net. As the Arsenal player fell to there knees in disbelief Giggs was clearly felling the same as he ran bear chested along the touch line with his shirt swinging around his head ………. The rest is history.
Its amazing to think that back in 2003 certain sections of the Old Trafford crowd booed and jeered Giggs when he went through a dip in form, some supporters are very fickle. It obviously played on his mind at the time, because this was the same season that we played Arsenal at home in a F.A Cup match. Giggs was played through by David Beckham who took the ball around Lehmann and with a empty goal in front of him and the Utd fans already celebrating and anticipating what should have been a routine finish, somehow managed to blaze the ball into the Stretford end to the amazement and disbelief of the Old Trafford faithful. Some Utd fans even suggested we should have cashed in on him that year with rumours of interest from Italian side Juventus.
The one thing that I have always admired and amazed me about Giggs is his ability to reinvent his style of play each season. Over the last couple of seasons Sir Alex has realised that Giggs has lost a yard or two of pace, but for what he has lost in pace, he has made up for in his head. Giggs knows this himself but has been in the game long enough to know that an experienced football brain and a good level of fitness can win you games, this is something that Teddy Sheringham also had.
Giggs said in a interview a while back that players these days have raw talent coached out of them when coming through the ranks at football clubs because coaches and managers want you to play a certain style of team play. This comment makes sense to me and got me thinking, you could not imagine Giggs attempting to score a goal like he did at White Hart Lane in 1990 could you? Or Michael Owen running at a defence and scoring an incredible solo effort like he did against Argentina in France 98 could you? Players are now coached to retain possession so I can see why a player that could jeopardise loosing possession could be frowned upon.
His best games last season came when he played in a central role in midfield in the champions league home and away games against Chelsea, and in the same fixture’s in the premier league. He has also played the same position to good effect against other big premier league teams. This shows how his game has changed, Sir Alex knows that Giggs can have a “Scholes” effect on certain games as we seen so many times last season dictating the pace of games, spraying passes, assisting and scoring goals. His ability to also track back and defend is also key to his important role in the team.
Recent tabloid stories have damaged his image, but I like many will only judge the man on what he has done for us on the pitch.
When will he retire? I believe that the curtain will come down on the illustrious career of Ryan Giggs at the end of May 2012 when this coming season is due to end. Whenever he does decide to make that decision a true legend of the game will finally hang up his boots and will forever be part of the history of Manchester United.
How will we honour and remember legacy?I have spoken with many Utd fans about this when travelling to away games and proposed that we retire the number eleven shirt in his honour. Many reds are quick to respond negatively to this idea and say that if we did this with all the legends we have had at Old Trafford we would have no shirt numbers left ! But my response to the negativity is that Giggs is a unique exception. He has played for twenty years in Utd’s first team playing at the highest level, has become our all time leading appearances and most decorated player in English football. I just cant see any other player achieving or playing for the same club for twenty plus years ever again.
Kevin Ashford
@kevinashford7
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